Fallen
by Guineapiggirl60
Summary: Hitman. Fall guy. Sidekick. That's what Chat Noir is, right? Always taking the fall for Ladybug. What will happen when Ladybug starts to realize the danger her partner has put himself in for her? And what will happen when she decides she needs to repay him, put her life at risk to save his? TW: Blood/Gore
1. Prologue

The akuma raised her oak bow, the intricate wooden carvings dancing around until they depicted scenes of death. Her blood-red lips stretched into a twisted, leering smile.

"What are you gonna do without your precious kitty, Ladybug?"

She asked, staring down the tip of her arrow at the inky suit of the feline hero. The tip quivered as she released it from her bow.

"NO!"

Time seemed to stop.

Chat Noir stood frozen.

"Move kitty!"

Ladybug ran toward him, telling herself that she had to, HAD to make it in time. She raced against not only the clock, but the arrow that flew through the air towards her beloved partner.

"MOVE DAMMIT!"

She threw her body in front of her precious kitten, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her head sag onto his chest just as the arrow speared her back and her transformation dropped.

Before she could even lift her head, another arrow pierced her back. Then another. And another. The akuma fired battalions of knife-like arrows at the vulnerable, weak teenage girl.

Chat Noir grabbed his princess's body as it fell. The akuma smiled at him wickedly, her vermillion lips forming that same twisted grin. Her fiery eyes showed no remorse for what she had just done. Instead, crazed glee filled her inhuman face.

"CATACLYSM!"

He yelled, raising his free hand. He brought it down hard onto the carpeted floor, and a flicker of shock crossed over the akuma's face as she watched the ground under him crumble into charcoal dust. Clouds of it rose into the air,filling his nostrils and burning his throat.

As Chat Noir dropped onto the lower level of the building, the akuma came close to the edge of the crater he had just made, her wine-red psychotic smile prevalent through the clouds of ash.

"I just love a good game of hide and seek. You know why?"

Chat Noir pulled the limp body of his partner close to his chest as the akuma cackled, the sharp, vile sound of her laugh filling the air and echoing through the desolate, empty building.

"I _always_ win."


	2. Chapter 1

Wow.

That's really all I can say. This story was an overnight success. Like, really. I have gotten so many follows on it that my inbox has just blown up. Thank you!

Credit to : TwilightPaintbrush - my lil sis - for helping me write this chapter.

XX

**1 Week Earlier**

Liquifier lunged at Ladybug and Chat Noir, her scaly hand mere centimeters away from the two heroes. They both jumped back, colliding with each other. Realizing they needed to make a plan, they both took a 180 and bounded off into the clear cyan Paris sky.

Liquifier scowled, the sun highlighting beads of water that glistened on her scaly body. The electric purple outline of a butterfly shadowed her masked face as a penetrating masculine voice filled her ears.

"Get me the miraculous. Don't fail like everyone else has."

The two heroes skidded to a stop on the rust-colored terracotta roof of a nearby building, hidden from the akuma's view by a chimney.

"The akuma is in her anklet, so if you distract her long enough for me to grab the anklet then . . . "

Ladybug spoke confidently, clearly the more dominant of the two. Her carmine suit glowed in the afternoon Paris sunlight as she explained to her partner a plan that was not out of the ordinary.

But the charming cat hero was not deterred by the fact that this lady in flaming red expected him to play hitman. Instead, he smiled as brightly as ever, responding with a cheeky

"Whatever you say, m'lady."

Ladybug smirked, used to her partner flirtatious nature. Then her expression hardened as they both prepared to enact their plan.

"On three"

"One"

"Two"

"...Three"

Chat Noir jumped out from his hiding spot, flinging himself onto the coffee-colored rooftop balcony where Liquifier waited. Ladybug snuck across the perimeter of the roof terrace as Chat Noir and Liquefier battled it out, coming to a halt right behind the akuma.

Liquifer hand made contact with Chat Noir's cheek and her iridescent scales glittered in the sun. Despite herself, Ladybug winced in sympathy for her partner as she watched him melt into a single drop of liquid. Liquifer scooped up a tiny drop of emerald water in her jar, and it fit in with the swirl of colors.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ladybug, quick as a flash, reached forward and slipped off Liquifier's anklet, breaking it in half before the akuma even knew what was happening. The girl feel to her knees as a dark mauve butterfly fluttered out. Ladybug swung her ruby-colored yoyo as she started performing her well-rehearsed and well-known routine.

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma! Gotcha! Time to de-evilize!"

Her coral yoyo slid open, revealing a pearly glow as an ivory-colored butterfly flew out.

"Bye bye, little butterfly."

Since she hadn't used her lucky charm that day, she raised one scarlet clad arm in the air, shouting her signature catchphrase that would return everything to normal, the way it was before Liquifier had disrupted daily life.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Rose-colored bubbles swirled through the air in Paris, regenerating many of the 'liquefied' people, including her partner, who smiled at her like he hadn't just been turned into a drop of water.

Smiling back at him victoriously, she stuck out her cerise gloved first. He met it with his own raven-black one.

"Pound it!"

And she was gone into the ultramarine sky, interspersed cumulus clouds floating lazily high above her head. Chat Noir gazed at her retreating back, watching the woman who he called his lady with increasing affection and pride.

He would risk his life for her a million times over.

And she would save him again and again.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Me, 1 day into writing chapter : Sorry that I take so long to write chapters. I'll try to write chapters faster.

Me, 3 weeks after starting chapter: Don't expect much, people. I've basically given up on daily updates.

Credit to Twilight Paintbrush for the idea for this chapter.

XXX

"Marinette?"

Chat Noir's shamrock eyes glowed in the blackberry-colored night sky. He pounced onto the pebble-grey railing of Marinette's balcony, landing lightly on his feet.

"Can.. can we talk?"

Marinette smiled gently.

"Of course kitty. Come on in."

She opened the hatch to her bedroom, and warm, lemony light poured out into the lowly lit balcony. She alighted the ladder then motioned for Chat Noir to follow her. Ignoring the ladder, he pounced into her room. He missed Marinette by a few inches, making a bubbly laugh erupt from her pursed baby-pink lips.

Even though Chat Noir was in love with Ladybug, he couldn't deny that Marinette could be unbelievably cute.

"One sec. Let me grab something real quick, Chaton."

Marinette held up a milk-white finger, smirking at Chat before descending the stairs that led to the rest of the house. He cocked his head in question, asking without words.

"Where are you going?"

Marinette smirked but kept her cherry-blossom mouth firmly shut.

Chat Noir waited in befuddlement for a few minutes until his nose picked up a heavenly aroma.

"I smell... cookies..and...croissants...and...chocolate"

Chat's mouth watered in anticipation of these delicious food that his princess was bringing him before she even finished ascending the stairs.

When Marinette saw Chat Noir crouched next to the stairs, nose in the air, stars in his lily-pad-green eyes, and drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, she cracked up, almost dropping the platter of goodies she had brought upstairs for her stray kitten.

Chat Noir was next to her in a flash, carefully balancing the tray of pastries, which made Marinette cackle harder, doubling over with her daisy-white arms wrapped around her tiny waist.

Chat Noir pouted comically.

"Don't laugh at me, Princess."

His expression made Marinette burst into even more pearls of giggling, and Chat Noir gave up, setting the tray on a nearby table and chortling along with the blueberry eyed girl lying on her side next to him.

After they had gotten themselves together ( which took quite some time, I assure you ), Marinette picked up the tray, setting it on a small powder-pink coffee table in front of her fuchsia chaise-lounge. She sat down, a teeny-bit fatigued from all the belly-aching laughter. She wiggled her dove-white hand, beckoning Chat to take the spot next to her. He obeyed like a puppy, and she scratched his head like he was a golden retriever before allowing him to snatch a sweet.

After Chat Noir had wolfed down (at least) 5 croissants, Marinette decided it was time to cut to the chase.

" So, Chaton, what did you want to talk about?"

Chat Noir looked up through a mouthful of cookie crumbs coating his lips. He quickly swallowed and brushed off his mouth.

" Well, you're someone who I trust, and I wanted some advice."

Marinette blushed modestly, beaming at his faith in her.

" Advice about what?"

" ... A girl?"

Marinette could only guess one girl that Chat Noir might need advice on.

"Ladybug?"

Chat nodded, slightly embarrassed.

" I...I think I'm in love with her."

Marinette blanched, only regaining her composure after a few seconds.

" B-but you barely even know her!"

Chat Noir's eyes filled with certainty.

"I know that she is a good person. Besides you, she's the only person I really trust, other than my best friend from my civilian life."

Marinette faltered. She was the only person Chat trusted? What about his mom? His dad? His siblings?

"But _cagnotte _, you're such a flirt. You've probably fell in love with plenty of people."

Chat Noir shook his head aggressively, butter-yellow hair flopping around in an unkempt ( and very Chat-like ) manner.

" I only flirt with her, and I've never fallen in love before. Don't be so judgy, princess. It's not like you know her."

" A-actually, I-I do. We're friends."

Chat Noir instantly perked up, which was understandable.

"Really?"

Marinette instantly scolded herself mentally.

Great. Now he's gonna start asking me about her..I mean me , she thought, almost groning. She managed to force out a few words.

"Yeah, I guess. We've talked a little."

"What does she think of me?"

Geez. That was fast. He didn't even preface it, Marinette thought, again having to resist the urge to sigh.

"Well, she thinks that you're a flirt and all, but she also admires your loyalty."

Chat Noir felt his heart swell. Ladybug admired him?

Marinette could tell that Chat Noir wasn't going to verbally answer, so she moved on.

" Do you really love her? "

Chat Noir nodded vigorously.

"Yes. I would die for her. I-I've actually risked my life for her more than once. But even when I throw myself under the bus for her, she keeps shrugging me off."

Marinette was taken aback by his statement. Her kitten had risked his life for her? How did she not notice? Why would she have shrugged him off like that?

Her train of thought didn't spiral for very long before she noticed tears pricking at the corners of Chat's eyes.

" Oh, _Mao Mao_..."

She reached over, cupping Chat Noir's cheeks with her small hands. He let tears stream down his tawny peach skin, leaving moist and glistening trails on his face.

" She just...never notices. And Mari, I-I love her so much! She doesn't even acknowledge it. And I make so many mistakes, and-and-and..."

Marinette didn't let him finish his thought. She pulled him into a hug, letting him press his soggy face into her velvety espresso-brown cotton jacket. His heartbroken weeping cut her to the bone, and she tried to offer as much solace as she could in the moment. Marinette rubbed his back, stoked his hair, and spoke in a voice that was more soothing than creamy chocolate.

But she knew that it wouldn't be enough.

She was kind to him as Marinette.

It was time to be that way as Ladybug.


	4. Chapter 3

I just wanted to say:

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

To emjrabbitwolf for your amazing support!

From now on, I'm going to try my best to respond to the reviews left on my fanfictions. Also, I love it when you guys leave reviews. Comments, plot ideas, criticism, AU ideas,heck- even song suggestions, all are welcome. When you leave a review, it absolutely makes my day!

XOXOX

A lukewarm breeze blew past Ladybug's light-skinned face, and strands of her hydrangea-blue hair into her cyan eyes. She started out at her beautiful city, admiring everything in it. Even though it ate up her time, and sometimes unnecessarily, she cherished her patrol time. It gave her an excuse to wander the city after dusk, and gifted her with the time to think about the problems that had been building up for the past few days. Nothing trumped watching the honey-melon-orange sun set in Paris from the top of the Eiffel tower while pondering your stresses.

This time, a certain cat was on her mind.

She just couldn't forget what had happened the night before. Chat often came over to play Ultimate Mecha Strike 3 with her ( and she had to admit that he was pretty dang good ) , but last night had been different. She could never get it off her mind, no matter how hard she tried. During school the next day, she had retreated into her little shell, incapable of thinking about learning and focus on what the teachers were saying, unable to chatter with Alya about the Ladyblog without having flashbacks.

The flashbacks.

How they tormented her.

If someone even just casually mentioned her Mao Mao, she would instantaneously recall his state the night before. His celadon eyes filling with glistening ultramarine tears, trails of dampness trailing down his medium-bisque cheeks. His piteous wails filled her ears like white noise, drowning out all of her thoughts and feelings. She still loved Adrien, but thinking of Chat Noir's cascades of emotions from the previous night made her heart shatter into countless shards.

The whispers of wind twisted the strands of her aegean blue hair. She carefully untied the candy-apple-red ribbons that held together her lapis-blue pigtails, and she felt like her coeur was held together by something just as gauzy and feeble, so easily unwound and susceptible to collapsing into a pile of fragments. The memories of the day before were steadily unfurling the fragile gossamer that had been cradling her fragile heart.

The gusts of wind caused her admiral-blue hair to flow behind her like a mane. She let the ribbons blow away into the gales of wind, and she felt like her corazon was drifting away into the seemingly never-ceasing streets of Paris along with it.

She sprang off of the slate-grey railing of the Eiffel tower, plunging to the ground. As she hit the flint-grey cobblestone street, she tucked in her knees and rolled, distributing the impact of the fall throughout her body. In a heartbeat, she was back on her feet.

Scanning the area and seeing no-one, she gingerly dropped her transformation. Tikki threw Marinette a small smile, but promptly yawned, flashing her bite-sized, raspberry-colored tongue. Marinette swiftly opened her purse, allowing her quami to disappear into the the azalea-pink, cozy ruffles of fabric for a much-needed nap.

Only after her quami had retired did Marinette let the teardrops slide down her misty-rose-colored cheeks. She huddled against the icy, industrial-strength steel beam of the eiffel tower, drawing her knees into her aching chest, and let herself weep., resting her head on her knees. The patter of footsteps approaching her brought her back to the moment, but she didn't look up. She didn't want to know what would happen to her if, by chance, it was her Chaton.

She could hear fabric rustle as someone sat down next to her, and glimpsed a long lock of gleaming, chestnut hair through her arms. The person opened their arms, and Marinette let herself lean into their offered hug. A pair of sandstone-skinned arms wrapped themselves around Marinette's swaying torso, and they gave her tremendous comfort, something she didn't expect to receive.

She buried her sodden face into a tiger-orange silky cardigan, and tender fingers mercifully stroked her hair.

She had finally found her shoulder to cry on.


	5. Authors Note 1

Just wanted to let all of you know….

I will post the next chapter of Fallen on (about) Wednesday next week, which means that you have 3-4 days for this challenge.

Wanna hear what it is?

Your job is to guess who comforted Marinette in the last chapter (and, yes, this person has been in multiple episodes of Miraculous).

Leave your answer in a review, or you can PM me if you don't want to let anyone see your guess. The first person to guess correctly wins a prize.

What is this prize?

You get to pick a plot idea/ AU for miraculous and I will write a one-shot about it. If I like it enough, and if I have time (which I never have) then I'll continue it.

Just a fun game for you guys while I work on my other fics for a bit.

See you on Wednesday!

GG

XOXO


	6. Chapter 4 (FINALLY!)

Chapter 4

SO sorry that I took so long to post this. My mom had blocked fanfiction net for a week :\ ( Just some advice, DON'T let your parents install Qustodio EVER)

Congrats to our winner: Uselesswerewolf21 ! 1920's Detective AU coming up!

XXXX

Marinette did not know who this kind stranger was, to comfort her so. The aqua tears that had flooded from her steel-blue eyes had blurred her vision, so that the world was a swirl of things, an unfinished watercolor painting.

The good Samaritan had a beautiful voice, too, as Marinette discovered when she asked her a question.

"Do you want to come to my house?"

The voice had a lilting quality to it. Marinette nodded, hypnotized by the euphonious rising and falling of the girls tone.

The girl wrapped a gossamer-thin arm around Marinette's back, letting her hand rest under Marinette's shoulder. She exhaled, a puff of breath tickling the nape of Marinette's neck as the pumpkin-orange-clad girl lifted up Marinette's swaying body. Marinette walked slowly, listing from one side to the other, uneasy on her own two feet.

The two girls walked past rows of houses, the city still as night feel. After a few minutes , Marinette realized how dark it had become. She craned her head back, gazing at the beautiful pinpricks of diamond-white light that dotted the opal-black sky. Their pace slowed as they came to a section of small apartments. The girl pushed open a rusted iron gate, which creaked ominously as it swung open. Marinette trudged up a set of grimy cement stairs, the girl following close behind. Marinette could hear pattering footsteps higher up in the stairwell as someone descended the stairs. A man with puffy, hollowed-out eyes passed them as he trotted down the stairs. When he saw the girl, he glared at her. As he passes, marinette caught whiff of the overpowering odor of alcohol and heard him mutter in a cruel tone

" Looks like rich girl brought a friend."

Marinette fought the urge to turn around and look at the girl behind her. She knew that the comment had hurt the girl , and that the girl wouldn't want another pair of eyes gawking at her, even if they were Marinette's watery cyan set instead of an old man's dead grey ones.

After a few minutes of agonizing silence, they arrived on the sixth story, and Marinette was about to walk up the next flight of dusty steps when she felt someone grab her arm. She looked down to see a caramel colored hand with it's fingers wrapped around her insipid forearm. The girl whispered

"Don't. That leads to the roof. We can go up there later if you like."

Marinette bowed her head, her loose oxford blue hair slipping out from behind her ear to linger like a portiere in front of her tear-streaked face. The girl unbolted the door, sliding the glossy, pebble gray bolt across the faded whitewashed door frame. Marinette strode into the small home,heading for the bathroom to wash her face. After being asked, the girl pointed her towards a room at the end of a dim hallway.

Marinette shut the door behind her, flipping the yellowing light switch. The sudden explosion of fluorescent light seared her retinas. She spun the grubby copper faucet and a steady stream of water poured into the once-white, sullied porcelain sink. She splashed invigorating water over her cotton-white face. As her vision finally cleared, she looked up into the cloudy, cracked mirror. Pearls of water dripped from her chin, and she listened to their tinny plink, plink . When she was about to leave, she noticed faded polaroids stuck into the corners of the dirt-encrusted mirror. She reached up to smooth one out and recognized the subject in the picture. Why would the girl have a picture of the liar?

She pulled down a few others. All of them were of a familiar girl with brown ponytails and an orange jacket or her family members.

Suddenly, Marinette didn't want to leave the bathroom.

The good Samaritan, the mystery girl, the person who had shown such kindness to her..

She was none other than the evil queen of class.

It was Lila Rossi.

XXXXX

THE REDEMPTION ARC STARTS NOW!


	7. Chapter 5

Heyyyyy. Sorry for not updating quicker. Things have been kind of hectic lately, and I haven't been able to access my stories for about a month. I am really, sincerely sorry.

Enjoy

GG

XOXO

"Hey. Are you okay in there?"

Gentle knocks peppered the bathroom door, and a soft voice called out the question.

Marinette sat in the corner of the bathrooms, knees drawn to her chest, cold, yellowing linoleum under her bare feet.

The liar was trying to get in. Lila was just outside, facade of a nice girl still covering up her true self.

Marinette took a deep breath, coughing at the lingering stench of cigarette smoke, and stood up. She had hidden long enough to get herself together. It was time to face the demon standing outside.

She threw open the rattling door, but to her surprise, no-one was outside. Anger boiling at the way she was tricked, she marched toward the front room.

A middle aged woman lay on the patched couch. Her hair was frizzy and greying. Her face was hollow, the look of a heroin addict, and a joint hung from her outstretched fingers. Empty beer bottles and white powder lay at the feet of the couch. Marinette slowly walked past the sleeping woman, mildly horrified but not dwelling on the thought.

Lila sat on a folding chair in the kitchen. When she saw Marinette, she smiled.

"I thought you died in there. Come …."

Her words trailed off, and her smile slipped of her face like melting wax when she realized that Marinette was scowling.

"Why Lila? Why lead me on? Did you just want ammunition to use against me at school on monday?"

Lila faltered.

"I.."

Marinette bit back, suddenly a rabid wolf, unable to contain her anger.

" You what, Lila? You can't deny it can you?"

Lila dropped her head as she rose from the chair.

"Let me explain."


	8. Chapter 6

Lila lead Marinette back into the living room, the woman on the couch still snoring.

She softly stepped into the corner of the room, leaving Marinette there to stare at the dinginess of the place. She soon returned with a cigarette in between her fingers, freshly lit.

Questions raced through Marinette's mind.

Who is that woman on the couch?

Since when have you been smoking?

Lila, seemingly noticing the quizzical look on her face, answered both of them.

"She's my nanny. Not too great, but 'It's all mommy and daddy could afford for their precious daughter'. So I'm stuck here with a woman who's on crack, an alcoholic, AND a heroin addict, while 'mommy and daddy' go on a cruise."

Lila lifted the cigarette, taking a puff before continuing.

"And this…"

She gestured to the cigarette.

"Is what she got me hooked on. It's the only way I can release all my pain. It's kind of relaxing, actually."

Marinette's head spun. Lila didn't seem surprised that Marinette would need time to comprehend. While Marinette fought hard to keep from gawking, Lila took a few long draws from her cigar.

Finally, Marinette managed to stutter out a few words.

"I'm sorry."

Lila smirked.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. And I've still got more to show you."

The two girls slowly walked deeper into the house, now revealed as a web of secrets and lies.

It swallowed them up.


	9. I'm ALIVE and kicking!

Holy freaking crap

I have missed you guys so much, you don't even know. Fanfiction had become one of the only parts of my life that I could depend on and find joy in.

I recently was in multiple mental hospitals due to my depression, self harm, and anorexia. It's been a struggle. That's all I'm going to say. I'm probably going to publish a fanfiction with the whole story one day, but for now, I'm going to focus on recovery.

I promise, I will update all my stories, but probably not as quickly as I wish I could.

I love you all!

XOXO

GG


	10. Chapter 7

After Lila had finished telling the gruesome story of her childhood, Marinette could scarcely breathe.

"But Lila…"

Marinette questioned

"Why are you so mean at school?"

Lila sighed.

"In elementary school I was bullied for being messed up and a crybaby. In middle school, people didn't even acknowledge me. So I figured that it was better to be the hunter rather than the prey. I'm sorry, Marinette."

Marinette gingerly lay her gentle hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"You know, If you had told me all of this, I would have understood. Although we still might fight over Adrien."

Lila laughed, which surprised Marinette to no extent.

"The truth is, I never liked Adrien. I only went after him because he was rich. I wanted a chance at living the lush life. Don't get me wrong, Adrien is nice and all, but i don't like him like that. The truth is… I like Nathaniel."

Marinette smiled.

" I have a feeling that after this, we are going to become very good friends."


End file.
